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UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, the right to a Calling

How can you make a difference?

The Resilience in Secondary Education (RISE) programme is a multi-sectoral initiative implementedby UNICEF Kenya in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, FAWE Kenya, Kenya Red CrossSociety (KRCS), Government of Kenya institutions, and other strategic partners. The programmeaims to expand access to inclusive, flexible, accredited, and technology-enabled secondaryeducation and skills pathways for out-of-school adolescents and youth (OOSAY), particularly youngwomen and mothers, refugees, adolescents and youth with disabilities, and learners frommarginalized and ASAL communities.

RISE seeks to strengthen Multiple Flexible Pathways (MFP) in secondary education through blendedlearning approaches, Alternative Learning Sites (ALS), youth facilitator models, digital learningsystems, wrap-around support services, and strengthened policy and systems integration alignedwith Kenya’s ongoing Competency-Based Education (CBE)reforms. The programme, implementedover a five-year period, integrates education, digital inclusion, safeguarding, disability inclusion,psychosocial support, youth engagement, and livelihoods-oriented approaches to improve learnerretention, completion, transition, and resilience

Purpose of the job:

Under the guidance and general supervision of the Chief Education, with a dotted line to the Deputy Representative, Programme, the Programme Manager provides technical leadership, programme management and coordination support to advance RISE Kenya’s objective of establishing multiple, flexible and safe learning pathways to quality formal and non-formalsecondary education, skills development and transition opportunities for out-of-school adolescents and youth. The role will support system capacity building, technology-enabled learning, data and evidence generation, and youth engagement to drive scalable, inclusive and sustainable education.

The Programme Manager contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation,results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s StrategicPlans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

The position will serve as Programme Manager for the RISE program signed between UNICEF andMastercard Foundation. The position is the central coordination point across government, UNICEF,Mastercard Foundation, consortium partners, development partners, and private sectorstakeholders, and carries accountability for program results, risk management, and the reporting tothe Program Steering Committee.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Management and advisory support to the Chief
2. Programme development and planning
3. Programme management, monitoring and quality control of results
4. Advisory services and technical support
5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Classified Job Descriptions - Programme Manager NOD FT Nairobi_.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Management, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Development Economics and any other related fields.
Work Experience: 8 years of relevant work experience in education systems reform, workforce development, or large-scale social sector program leadership, including at least 7 years in a program leadership or country-level coordination role. Demonstrated experience managing multi-partner, multi-donor high-value programs at national scale is required. Track record of translating program delivery into policy influence and institutional change is required. Experience in managing multi-million program budgets is required. Experience with EdTech, digital learning, or technology-enabled service delivery at scale is required. and any other related fields.
Skills: Understanding of the overall global development context, including issues such as: poverty, economic empowerment, displacement and the impact of these factors on education, youth skilling and employability and vice-versa; and inter-sectoral approaches to address such issues in collaboration with other sectors (including Social Policy, Protection, and Innovation/Young People engagement within UNICEF). Knowledge of global developments in secondary education, youth empowerment and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming. Ability to support policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programme and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, private sector, CSOs and academia in relevant areas. Fair understanding of education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. Primary,Secondary, Tertiary, Inclusive Education, Multiple Pathways to Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues. Knowledge of education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets and indicators; tools for analysis of equity; determinants of student access and learning; budget, costing, and financial management in education systems; political economy; and education policy and strategic planning. Experience in complex and multi sectoral Programme management experience, including programme design, costing, monitoring and evaluation and reporting. Deeper understanding of gender and inequity issues in relation to education, participation and development and the application of gender / equity analysis programme policy and planning. Demonstrated ability to managing multi-partner, multi-donor programs at national scale, including direct engagement with government ministries and private sector. Experience in overseeing high-value program budgets. Experience with EdTech, digital learning, or technology-enabled service delivery at scale.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Prior experience working with UNICEF UN, Mastercard Foundations Private Sector engagement, or comparable UN/foundation governance and reporting systems is strongly preferred.
Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Experience working with private sector and foundations as an advantage.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Programme Manager (RISE), NO-4, Fixed Term Position, Nairobi, Kenya Country Office, #138446